Fence-post.



A. W. SPRAGUE.

FENCE POST.

I APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 23, 1907. 960,597. Patented June 7,1910.

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UNITED STATES AENT ARTHUR W. SPRAGUE, OF LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL & WIRE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FENCE-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 23, 1907.

Patented June '7, 1910. Serial No. 389,890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR WV. SPRAGUE, of La Grange, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a new and useful Fence-Post, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a post embodying the features of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation at right angles to Fig. 1.

My present invention is designed to pro vide a post which can be simply and cheaply constructed; which can be readily set or driven, and which will provide an element of flexibility.

Heretofore it has been the practice in the construction of fence posts to endeavor to secure as high a degree of rigidity as possible consistent with the amount of metal employed. I have found, however, that a fence in which the posts are capable of flexing in a direction at right angles to the line of fence, is more serviceable than one in which the posts are rigid, not only for the reason that the posts and wire will recover their normal position after being displaced by pressure, or because of the fact that the cattle are less disposed to rub against and disturb a fence having this yielding char acter than one which presents a rigid resistance.

In accordance with my invention, I construct a post from a single piece of metal rod 2 preferably circular in cross-section, although it may be of any other desired section. In the intermediate portion of the post I form one or more bends or coils 3 which, when the post is set, will be at or near the ground line, and which are so disposed as to form a positive flexing element in the post to permit the movement of its upper portion in a direction at right angles to the line of fence.

What I claim is 1. In fencing, a post formed of a metal rod substantially rigid and unyielding in the direction of the length of the fence and provided near the surface of the ground with a vertical coil disposed to permit free flexing of the post in a direction laterally of the fence only, substantially as described.

2. In fencing, a post formed of a metal rod bent to form a vertical coil from which extend vertically alined ground-entering and fence-strand attaching portions, the plane of the coil being vertically at approximately a right angle to the length of the fence, substantially as described.

8. In fencing, a post formed of a metal rod bent intermediate of its ends to form a spring coil from which rises a fence strand attaching portion, and from which depends a ground entering portion, and an anchor plate carried by the ground entering portion adjacent the coil, the plane of the anchor being substantially parallel with the plane of the fencing, and the plane of the coil being at substantially right angles to that of the anchor.

4. A fence post formed of a metal rod bent intermediate of its ends to form a spring coil, from which depends a ground entering portion, and from which rises a fence strand attaching portion, the spring coil being disposed to permit flexing of the strand attaching portion in one vertical plane only.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ARTHUR W. SPRAGUE.

Witnesses GEO. H. PARMELEE, H. M. CoRwIN. 

